Sports shorts: Portsmouth 9/10s have game susp. due to lightning

PORTSMOUTH — The Portsmouth 9/10 Little League All-Star team will complete a suspended District II tournament game with Hooksett on Monday, starting at 5:45 p.m., after rain and lightning halted play in the first inning of Wednesday's game at Plains Field. The game was originally scheduled to be played at Hooksett but was moved to accommodate an equal distribution of home and travel games for both sides

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Posted Jul. 3, 2014 at 2:00 AM
Updated Jul 3, 2014 at 3:00 AM

Posted Jul. 3, 2014 at 2:00 AM
Updated Jul 3, 2014 at 3:00 AM

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PORTSMOUTH — The Portsmouth 9/10 Little League All-Star team will complete a suspended District II tournament game with Hooksett on Monday, starting at 5:45 p.m., after rain and lightning halted play in the first inning of Wednesday's game at Plains Field. The game was originally scheduled to be played at Hooksett but was moved to accommodate an equal distribution of home and travel games for both sides

BOSTON (AP) — The New England Patriots don't owe "another penny" to former tight end Aaron Hernandez, who is charged in three killings, a team lawyer told a judge Wednesday.

Attorney Andrew Phelan said the team terminated its contract with Hernandez right after he was charged last year in the death of semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd.

Phelan's remarks came during a hearing in wrongful death lawsuits filed by the families of two Boston men prosecutors say were also killed by Hernandez.

The families' lawyer, William Kennedy, asked for an order barring the Patriots from paying Hernandez a $3.25 million signing bonus if the team is ever ordered to do so by an arbitrator. According to the lawsuit filed by Kennedy, Hernandez has filed a grievance seeking the money, plus $82,000 owed to him by the team.

But Judge Bonnie McLeod said the team is already subject to a similar order in the Lloyd case and accepted a signed stipulation from the Patriots.

Kennedy also wants the court to freeze Hernandez's assets. Each of the lawsuits is seeking $6 million in damages.

Hernandez has pleaded not guilty in all three slayings.

His attorney in the wrongful death lawsuits, John Fitzpatrick, said in court papers that the attempt to prevent the team from paying Hernandez is "fundamentally unfair" because Hernandez needs the money to pay for his defense in the three killings and the civil cases. Depriving Hernandez access to his earnings "would impair his state and federal constitutional rights to counsel and to due process," the response said.

Sabres general manager Tim Murray joked that he has run out of spending money two days into NHL free agency.

Most of his fellow executives appeared to be in the same boat Wednesday.

The frenzy of high-priced signings and big-name trades that took place to open the league's annual summer signing period Tuesday, slowed to a trickle a day later.

"I'm not surprised," Murray said, a day after he committed $46.38 million in salaries to sign four free agents. "Nobody's in a rush today because they're taking stock of what happened yesterday."

There were a few notable signings that took place on Wednesday.

The New York Islanders made the biggest splash by signing forwards Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolai Kulemin to four-year contracts. Grabovski's deal is worth $20 million, while Kulemin will make $16.75 million.

The Nashville Predators, who failed in a bid to land center Jason Spezza in a trade with Ottawa, made an addition by signing veteran center Olli Jokinen to a one-year, $2.5 million deal.

The Vancouver Canucks signed right wing Radim Vrbata to a two-year, $10 million deal. The 33-year-old Vrbata had 20 goals and 31 assists in 80 games last season for Arizona.

Forward Chris Bourque is back in the NHL after agreeing to a deal with the New York Rangers. The son of Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque, split last season playing in Russia and Switzerland.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets reached an agreement in principle Wednesday with Lionel Hollins to become their coach, moving quickly after the departure of Jason Kidd.

The deal with the former Memphis Grizzlies coach comes two days after the Nets made a trade with Milwaukee to allow Kidd out of his contract so the Bucks could hire him.

Nets general manager Billy King and his assistants then met with Hollins on Monday night and again Tuesday before agreeing to the deal. Terms were not disclosed.

"I want to thank the Nets ownership and Billy for this opportunity," Hollins said in a statement. "It has been a long process to get back into the league, and I believe that Billy and I will have a very successful working relationship. Brooklyn has firmly established itself as a franchise that is committed to winning, and I eagerly look forward to becoming part of that culture and building on the success of the past two playoff appearances."

Hollins led Memphis to 56 victories and the 2013 Western Conference finals before he and the Grizzlies parted ways. The Nets considered him last year after firing P.J. Carlesimo before hiring Kidd.

He was the only known candidate the Nets interviewed this time. King said he had reached out to one other person who chose not to pursue the job.

Registration is ongoing for the the 2014 Exeter Blue Hawk Baseball Camp, which will be held from July 14-18 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily on the fields behind Exeter High School on Epping Road. The camp is directed by the Exeter High School coaching staff.

Information and registration forms can be obtained at the Exeter High School Athletic office or by visiting http://ehs.sau16.org and following the links to "Athletics" and "Summer Camps."